|
|
Frugal
Living Thrift
Saving Money Penny Pinching
Home
Frugal Living Tips and Frugal
Living Articles for
Frugal Happy Families
|
Search Frugal Happy Families by Keyword
Below
|
 |
"Like" Frugal Happy Families on Facebook.
Links to new articles on the website, seasonal articles, frugal tips,
freebies, recipes and more. Facebook is the newsletter for Frugal Happy Families
and Tightwad Tidbits.
|
|
|
|
Learn how saving money, thrift
and penny pinching can be fun. Keep up by joining us on
FB.
 |
|
|
Ways to Save
Energy and Slash Electricity Bills
By Chileshe Mwape
1. Lighting & Light
Bulbs
Install low energy light bulbs in rooms you use
regularly – they last up to 15 times longer than a
normal light bulb and provide the same lighting for a
quarter of the running cost. Turn off the lights when
you leave a room for a long period and don't use several
light bulbs where one will do the job. Teach all family
members to turn off lights when leaving a room.
2. TV, Hi-Fi & Radio
Turn off the TV or video and hi-fi rather than leaving
it on standby. Always use the television's on/off
switch. Leaving the television on standby wastes energy.
3. Cooking
Microwave ovens reduce cooking time by 15% to 20% and
save energy. When boiling vegetables, use just enough
water to keep them covered. Use a jug kettle that has a
water level gauge to ensure you only heat the amount of
water you need. Cover saucepans with lids whenever
possible to reduce the cooking time.
4. Home Laundry & Dishwashers
Save electricity by using old-fashioned clothesline for
clothes drying. Avoid drying clothes on radiators as it
lowers the room temperature, making your boiler work
harder. Shut off dishwasher for dry cycle. Let your
dishes "air dry". Don't use dishwasher or laundry
equipment until you have a full load.
5. Fridges & Fridge Freezers
Make sure your refrigerator and freezer door seals are
airtight. Let hot foods cool before placing them in the
refrigerator. Defrost refrigerator regularly - when
about 1/4 inch of ice has formed. Place your
refrigerator in the coolest part of the kitchen - away
from cookers, heaters and out of direct sunlight.
6. Heating
Turn off electric water heater when going away for
vacations or weekends. Turn your heating down rather
than opening a window to reduce the room temperature.
Never cover radiators with curtains or furniture as this
reduces their efficiency and wastes valuable heat. When
going on long holidays, remember to switch your water
heating off.
7. Work Tools
Use hand tools in your workshop instead of power tools.
8. Appliances
When shopping for new appliances, ask about
energy-efficient models. Buy appliances on the basis of
cost plus operating costs, not price alone. Limit the
use of appliances that use over 1,000 watts. Keep
appliances clean and in good working order. They'll use
less energy.
9. Bills
Check all energy bills closely. Errors can be costly.
10. Insulation & Air conditioning
Insulating your attic will save on operating air
conditioning (also heating). If your walls are suitable,
cavity wall insulation will substantially reduce heat
loss. Keep air conditioning condenser shaded from sun or
on north side of house. Turn off air conditioning when
no one is home.
© Chileshe Mwape writes for The Cheap Electricity Guide
website at:
http://www.cheap-electricity-guide.org.uk/ and he's
also a regular contributor to the Ways2Save website at:
http://www.ways2save.org.uk/
|
Home
|
|
